PSYC 215 Study Guide - Fall 2018, Comprehensive Midterm Notes - Conceptual Model, Test Cricket, Stanley Baldwin
12 Oct 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
PSYC 215
MIDTERM EXAM
STUDY GUIDE
Fall 2018
PSYC 215 – 180904
Lecture 1: Introduction
• Important and relevant information for the course and outline → syllabus
o Midterm = 40%
▪ One on Oct 11 → covers chapters 1-7
▪ One on Nov 13 → chapters 8-14 and all lectures from Oct 11 to Nov 13
• The better grade of the 2 will be counted
▪ Missing both midterms → make up or final becomes 100%
o Final = 60%
▪ TBA
▪ Weighting of midterm and final will be adjusted in an advantageous
fashion depending on which one results with a better mark
▪ Cumulative
• Definition of social psych from textbook →
o “scientific study of feelings, thoughts, and behaviors of individuals in social
situations.”
o Humans and animals share a similar psychology but that of humans is more
complex
▪ Humans are social beings, have interesting thoughts, etc.
Tentative Schedule of Topics –
• Sept 4-6 = Introduction and methods
• Sept 12-20 = Social cognition processes and biases
• Sept 25-Oct 9 = The social self and attitudes
• Oct 16-Nov 8 = Relationships, social influence, groups and intergroup processes
• Nov 15-22 = Cultural influences
• Nov 27-29 = Applied topics (ex. social psychology-based interventions, health & well-
being)
➔ Will need to organize own reading schedule accordingly
Extra Credit Opportunity –
• Information available on MyCourses
• Participate and receive up to 2%
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
PSYC 215 - 180906
Lecture 2 – Research in Social Psychology
• Emotional contagion = tendency to converge emotions with another
o Being affected by those around you
o Ex, = scrolling on Facebook and others’ post affecting your mood; speaking to
different people and having their mood affect and converge with yours
• simple observation, but how do you know if this is a valid occurrence?
o Hypothesis is not sufficient
o Need scientific observations and a method to test and reach a conclusion
o Ex. of methods = neuroscientific research analyzing neurological responses to
different moods; survey; take an evolutionary angle; simulation and observed
reactions
• Operational definition = definition of a variable that is related to one’s research
o Variables are abstract, need to define what they mean or stand for
▪ Ex. = use a mood scale (7-point scale is frequently used in psych)
Correlational Research –
• Do 2 variables go together or are they unrelated?
• Positive correlation = the more you get of one, the more you get of the other
o Ex. = height and weight
▪ taller people aren’t always heavier, but they are related – a correlation
• Negative correlation = the more you get of one, the less you get of the other
o Ex. = height and IQ
• Research generally states that there is a positive correlation between friendship
closeness and mood similarity:
o Can we say that closeness leads to or causes mood similarity?
▪ In other words: [friendship closeness mood similarity]?
o Issue that arises: which causes which? Is there another variable at play?
Correlation does not equal Causation –
• Reverse causation = actually the other way around
o Ex. = it is having similar moods that lead to becoming closer friends
▪ In other words: [friendship closeness mood similarity]
• Third variable problem = this variable needs to be able to explain the other variables
o Ex. = there is some other/third variable that produces/affects friendship
closeness and mood similarity
absent days and grade
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Will need to organize own reading schedule accordingly. Information available on mycourses: participate and receive up to 2% = use a mood scale (7-point scale is frequently used in psych) Correlational research : do 2 variables go together or are they unrelated, positive correlation = the more you get of one, the more you get of the other, ex. = height and weight: taller people aren"t always heavier, but they are related a correlation, negative correlation = the more you get of one, the less you get of the other, ex. Correlation does not equal causation : reverse causation = actually the other way around, ex. = it is having similar moods that lead to becoming closer friends. In other words: [friendship closeness mood similarity: third variable problem = this variable needs to be able to explain the other variables, ex. = there is some other/third variable that produces/affects friendship closeness and mood similarity.
